966 for brushhog

Any comments will be appreciated. Thank you.

PS ; I don't do this ( hay making ) with an eye to making a profit on everything because like sports cars or motorcycles the prospects of getting a return on investment is dismal . For 12 acres you might have to remember that you aren't going to get much back for your time and investment so to recoop the price of an expensive tractor may take years . It's mostly for the fun of it .

Just look at Allan, he had a 966 new 30 years ago, and he bought a 30 year old 966 just last year. I think he is just about as qualified as anyone to spot something wrong on the drive around. I have no question with his credentials on that one. However, just look at the items he's found wrong with that 30 year old 966 since he started working it.

Even my lowly little Super A, probably one of the top ten Super As mechanically across North America, and it has always been that way. Up until 5 years ago it was used commercially. It doesn't have an hour meter but can't remember a year it didn't get enough use to burn 500 IMP gallons of gas. Now it burns about 30 gallons per year mowing my grass, and I fix just as many items every year as I did back 10 years ago. Are you trying to tell me the annual parts for my SA will cost as much as a 966?

I'm not suggesting he try to do his bush hogging with a Super A. They are quite a little tractor but you got to draw the line when it comes to PTO work. I was just merely pointing out that even parked these tractors are not trouble free.

I also suspect that large chassis 06, 56, 66 and 86 series tractors are far more plentiful where you come from than around here. Oh we had them once, but when the Canadian dollar was about .65 US, just about every decent Farmall or Deere for sale went state side. That went on for about 20 years. They were also selling new ones here for about 25% less than in the US. using a common dollar. I know a dairy farmer bought a new CaseIH around 1992. Two years later he decided to get out of the dairy business. At his auction that tractor brought $2,000. more than he paid for it new and the buyer was American.

You may think I was a bit personal, however I think it was important he see all sides of the argument. As a group I think we suceeded. By the way the tractors are moving north this past year.

Sometimes, I think it is a cursed detriment. Havin' had 'em new, I now compare everything to that memory of how they were then.

Nobody can hear this noise in the rear end of my tractor except me, but I know they didn't talk like that when they were new.

So, since I've already dumped $14K in this old tractor, I'll probably go ahead an pour in another $5K just to make it right and to satisfy my own silly mind. :>(

But Damn! I do like this old devil! :>)

Allan

'Course there's nothin' "wrong with it". He can hook that little eight foot mower to a D8 Cat if he so desires.

He just asked if a 966 was "overkill" for his mower and we gave our opinions, which by the way, I still stand by.

Heck, the 966 has always been one of my favorite tractors of all time just because of the brute that they are.

Allan

Did you read the article here at YT yesterday about folks waining on the tractor hobby and ownership of older tractors? Part of that is the fact that they buy big tractors, because they are cheap. I can take you to countless numbers of big tractors parked in the bush or back 40 out of sight and out of mind, and broke down. Why are they there? Simply because someone is either unable finincially or unwilling finincially to spend the dollars to fix them. Believe me, I farmed with big tractors, they can present you with 5 figure repair bills.

966 for bush hogging, yes if you have 500 acres per year to bush hog. By the way, I give this little lecture about once per month. Having a tractor to do your property work can be fun, don't let it make a slave out of you.

In my lifetime I've owned 16 farmalls, 1 Cockshutt, 1 Deere and 2 Cases, everyone of them bought either new or with less than 1,500 hours on them. The smallest was a Super A and the largest a 1066. If I were to do a bit of digging through my records I could tell you exactly what each and everyone of those tractor cost for repairs and to operate. I could further tell you exactly what the cost was per horsepower per hour.

To summarize I will tell you this, my 560D and 656D were the 2 most efficient tractors I ever owned. Each one went 10,000 hours with virtually no repairs, less than $1,000. for each. They would each crank out 60 hp on little over 1 IMP gallon of fuel per hour. I can tell you that when you step up to the parts counter, on average you will buy 656 and 560 parts for a fraction of the cost of any of the large chassis tractors.

Don't get me wrong the large chassis tractors can be quite efficient, but you've got to be using 100% of their rated hp all the time. I only ever started my 1066 for 5 jobs; those being 12 ton manure spreader, 20' disk, 25' cultivator, NH 890 forage harvester and a Dika Root windrower that I did custom work with. That Dika could make a 1066 suck back 10 gallons of fuel per hour.

My point has been "MATCH YOUR HP TO YOUR WORKLOAD". I do more work every year with my Super A than he'll do if he only hogged that 11 acres. Now I don't recomend the SA for hogging either, mainly because of offset takeoff. However there are many 40 hp tractors bush hogging 50 to 100 acres per year. Why, I can't tell you, myself if I were going to work more than a couple of acres it would have to be a money maker.

One thing I've never seen is Farmall parts hard to find. I suspect you see only what you want to see.

Well that's where your wrong! You wouldn't believe how many tractors go through my shop a year. The reply I get more and more from the parts guys " NA, discontinued or obsolete The IH dealer says it is going to get worse fast. I can't believe the number of parts I bought only months ago that I can't get today. It isn't any different at the Deere dealer either.

I suspect you see only what you want to see.

I think that's what some of us were trying to tell you

When I first posted on this board you jumped all over me because what I said didn't agree with what you thought on the subject and you were the one that HAD to be right. I'm not picking or trying to start anything but some people do have different opinions and that doesn't mean their always wrong

Now I'm about to rebuild the engine on my Farmall 130. I have 3 different quotes on parts. Since I've retired, I have a bit of spare time and was thinking I'd buy another tractor to restore. I know where there is an 806 that needs engine work. I expect you will be able to find me a source of parts for the same price as my 130 per cylinder. I'm happy to know that, I was of the opinion 806 parts would be 3 to 4 times the cost of 130 parts per cylinder. This could be a money maker.

Took bit of time, did a little cruise through the archives, your questions of 18 months ago confirm what I am saying. Just 18 months ago you were asking very elementary questions about Farmalls. About the only responces you gave involved what they sold for at the last auction, I found no technical advice.

Checked out prices on piston and sleeve kits with gaskets. Farmall 130- $100. per cylinder, Farmall 656- $125. per cylinder, 806 and 966 $200. per cylinder. Took a glance at other items and the spread is about the same. Basically this agrees with my many years of record keeping. You always show greater profits when underpowered on the farm. That little 130 gasser is going to run about 4,000 to 5,000 hours on a set of pistons and sleeves. Diesels on the other hand will run 10,000 hours on a set of pistons and sleeves. Most of the diesels I've seen do 10,000 hours clocked those hours very quickly, about 800 or more yearly. I have seen a lot of diesels doing 300 hours per year require pistons and sleeves every 5,000 hours. Looks to me like you size the tractor to the work.

Another matter one has to be concerned about with 66 series and later diesels is cavetation with these wet sleeve engines. Water filters will slow it down, however they will not eliminate cavetation. Without the filter the sleeves will be done in 8 years and the filter it will double t0 16 years. I personally think these 66 series engines could reasonably go 15,000 hours between rebuilds, but the tractor must be clocking 1,000 hours per year. Highly unlikely bush hogging 11+ acres per year. So why don't you just leave the advice on which tractor to buy, to the guys who bought these tractors new 30 to 40 years ago, kept meticulous records on them for many years.

I always asked a mechanic for technical advice, but I never asked him to do my record keeping.

Now I'm about to rebuild the engine on my Farmall 130. I have 3 different quotes on parts. Since I've retired, I have a bit of spare time and was thinking I'd buy another tractor to restore. I know where there is an 806 that needs engine work. I expect you will be able to find me a source of parts for the same price as my 130 per cylinder. I'm happy to know that, I was of the opinion 806 parts would be 3 to 4 times the cost of 130 parts per cylinder. This could be a money maker.

Not like I do once in awhile, diggin' postholes. A plumb crazy waste waste of fuel and wear and tear on an expensive machine that is tied to a chore that could easily be handled by another tractor 1/4 it's size.

For what you want to do, a 60 horse small chassis IH could handle those chores with one hand tied behind it's back.

Secondly, tractors are made for work, and they should be pushed to their limits once in awhile to keep 'em in top form. They just run better when they're workin' hard.

Like I say, just my opinion,

Allan

starting s/n for years
1971 7101
1972 11815
1973 17794
1974 22526
1975 28119
1976 31772 (will have black decals)